Lovely Lie
by Mei de Famille
Summary: Lie, but it is a lovely one. IchiRuki fic for Ichigo's birthday GA at DB XD Enjoy


"Fuku-taichou ! Please rest for a while. You have worked all the morning without resting! Aren't you tired?"

Rukia was standing in a hill near she did her duties in Rukongai with her subordinate Yuki. She hadn't worked with him much before, but when she asked the entire squad if any of them willing to work with her on 15th July, Yuki immediately volunteered. They had been working all the morning started at dawn, and Rukia wouldn't stop unless Yuki begged her. Although Rukia knew that he was exhausted from the time they reached the hill, as he almost fainted and fell down on his knees several times until he couldn't help begging her to rest, she had so little time for resting. But considering the fact that Yuki could no longer walk, she sighed heavily while looking at him and accepted him to rest. He felt thankful for that as he murmured a word "thank-you" and laid down under a shade under a tree, enjoying his scarce resting time.

"But only 5 minutes. We don't have much time today." – Rukia told her subordinate but her eyes wondered somewhere else, not looking at him. Her answer made Yuki felt disappointed, 5 mins was not enough for him.

"Rukia-sama, 5 mins is not enough for us to rest." – Yuki tried desperately to get more time for resting.

"For you, not for me. I don't need to rest. And I think you should stop talking or else you will be more tired." – She turned back so he could see her warning gaze at him, helped he to understand that he better kept silent and enjoyed the last few seconds of his resting. While waiting for him, Rukia found a big rock and sat down, looked at the beautiful blue sky above her and murmured the things she had to finish until sunset. 'Ah, too much work, too little time', she said to herself. She asked over Yuki as he was closing his eyes and sleeping.

"Yuki, tell me what the day is today?"

He lazily opened his eyes and answered irritatedly.

"I told you 10 times today sir. Four..I…I mean fifthteen july, sir" – he was tired of repeating the same answer from the beginning of the day. But what actually made him tired of was sth else, sth he knew that if Rukia had found out, he would be dead meat. Working with Rukia in such a day like this wasn't easy, he knew it. He also knew it was her habit that always asked her subordinate who worked with her date and time, she never watched it herself. He knew that when she had something important to do, she became so stubborn and selfish. Like this time, she never let him rest if he didn't ask. And he knew sometime when he made things worse, she was bad-tempered and violent. That was the reason why he hadn't worked with her much before. If it weren't for being asked by _him_, he would never do something like this.

"Ok, just want to confirm that. Now go back to work. There's a lot of things need to be done." – Rukia said and stood up from the rock and came toward Yuki, gave him a hand to stand up - "Do you feel better?" – she asked, looking at him.

"Thank you for concerning, I'm fine now. Let's get back to work."

But Yuki also knew Rukia was a considerate person.

They returned to their barracks at noon, and Rukia went straight to her office and did the paper work. Yuki followed her, but only after 15 minutes with the paper, he fell asleep. Rukia looked at her subordinate, sofly smiled at him. She felt really sorry for making him exhaust. He didn't know how much she thanked him for volunteering to work with her and being the one coming at dawn to call her to work, as if he was afraid she would forget. She decided to let him sleep while she got back to work. Doing the paperwork in the silence of the noon, with sunlight illuminated through the window, her mind drifted to what would happen a few hours later. Today was Ichigo's birthday. Since the fight with Kuugo's gang, she hadn't met him, although she missed him a lot. She could neither go to the Living World nor go to meet him without a particular reason, since she was a vice captain now, which meant she had to do a lot of work and took responsibility for her squad, especially while her captain was physically ill. Plus that she was afraid if she went to meet him without any reasons, she would disturb him and he would be annoy, worse he might know about her feelings for him. What if he didn't want to see her again? Did he want to meet her like she did? Now the chance to meet him finally came, she could find the answer to lots of question she had. She had planned it a long time ago for Ichigo's birthday, what she had to do, what she had to buy… But the first thing was that she must finish all her duties if she wanted a day off. That was the reason why she started to work at dawn and not rested but continuously worked. Watching the clock, she realized there was only a few hours to go, she stopped thinking about the day and was engrossed in her work again to finish it in time.

Yuki woke up and hastily got up as he realized he had fell asleep when doing the paperwork. He turned to see Rukia and prepared to apologise, only to find that she had finished all the work and was tidy up after working.

"Fuku-taichou, you had done all of it?" – Yuki asked, amazed and admirable in his voice.

"Yes, as you can see it. Now I need you to bring those documents which needed captain seal to Ukitake-san and then you can retire for the day. I'm going too." – she said as she gave him a small stack of papers.

"Roger. You are going to the Living World?" – asked Yuki casually

"Why do you know?" – Rukia was surprised by the question and stared at him in wonder.

"Ah… ah…i…I just…guess. It must be something important too." – Yuki hastily replied for not revealing the secret he had been holding.

"Yes, very important" – She answered as her eyes looked downward and her face was covered with pink.

"I think I should take my leave now" – said Yuki as he bowed and turned to leave, only to be stopped by Rukia

"Wait a minute, Yuki. Ah… Thank you for volunteering to work with me today and being very attentively. Thanks for coming at dawn and working effectively, so that I can finish all the work so soon. Thank you very much."

"No…It is my duty to help my vice-captain. And I merely do what I want so you don't need to thank me. Nah…I…better go." – Yuki left with a feeling of guilty when receiving those honest words from Rukia. But he was happy, too. Because he knew at least he could help _them_. A smile broadened on his face as he went to Ukitake's place as Rukia ordered.

Rukia watched her subordinate left then shifted her gaze to the clock. 7pm! 'I must be hurry if I don't want to be late.' She hurriedly went home and started to do her plan.

Rukia entered the Living World through the Senkaimon opening in the dark sky. The wonderful cool wind blew through her hair, and she took a second closing her eyes to feel it before went to her destination: Ichigo's house. When she arrived, the house was covered in dark, it must have been no one was home, which surprised her. Why in such a day like his birthday that no one was home? There should have been a warm dinner at this time like he once told her: in his birthday, he didn't hold a party, just hanged around with friend at daytime and then have a dinner at home with family in the evening. He said almost all his birthday was the same. Did he change this year? Thinking that Ichigo was having a birthday party, she searched for his reiatsu so that she could join him. But she found nothing, either his friends' reiatsu. If they were having a party then why would they had to hide their reiatsu? Or they left for a vacation? Or worse, something bad happened? Finding it was no use to just stand and guess, she went to any where she knew to find them but futile. She wanted to search more but she had no idea where they could be and the exhaustion won the best of her after a hard working day, so she decided to go back to Ichigo's house to rest for a while and search for some clues about this disappearance on the same occasion.

She entered Ichigo's room thourgh the window, which was, amazing to her, opened. Why were they so careless? But it was lucky for her, that she could sneak in easily. She stood in the middle of the room, spending a moment to look around the familiar sight of his room. She closed her eyes as she saw the flashback of memories through her mind. She instinctively came toward the closet, which used to be her bedroom, lightly opened it. It was exactly like in her memory, except the blanket was cooler. Sliding the door to shut the closet, she walked to Ichigo's desk and sat on the chair. She looked around the surface and searched the drawers to find some clue or note about the day, but there was nothing except some of his papers. Sighing tiredly, she absent-mindedly reached Ichigo's bed. She moved to the bed, sat down, rubbed the blanket as she smiled softly at it. Strangely she felt extremely tired and her eyes was about to shut, she the laid down by the edge of the bed and took a nap while reminding herself merely rest for a few minutes before leaving.

It must have been the familiar and seductive scent from Ichigo's bed that made Rukia overslept, the tiredness and exhaustion also helped, she had no idea that she had slept for several hours. Awake, shooting up in bed, she couldn't believe that she overslept. Immediately check the clock on Ichigo's desk, only to find out that there was really late. She swayed her head in confusing as she didn't know what to do and easily found something which had been lying beside her. Actually it was a person, a familiar person, the one whom she had wished to see, whom she missed so much. Ichigo. He lay here, his orange head was bright even in the dark, and was next to her for real. Ichigo was startled by her sudden raise and was looking at her silently.

"You awake?" – Ichigo asked with his low voice

"Ichi…go? How long have you been lying here? – Rukia asked in wonder and confusion

"Long enough" – He answer briefly

"Why didn't you wake me up?"

"Watching you sleep is something priceless. And is is quite fun. I saw the exhaustion on your face so I decided to let you sleep. Perhaps if I woke you up, you would kick me in my face for interrupting your sleep!" – Ichigo replied with a devilish smile.

"Baka!" – and she punched him at his head.

"Hey what are you doing?"

"Where have you been? I did search for you but found nothing, do you know how worried I am? I thought there was something bad happened!" – She kicked and hit him continuosly as she said. But before she could hear his answer, the clock struck 12, informed her that his birthday was over.

"No! You fool! Look what you have done. I miss it one more time, all my plans were ruined! That is all your fault!" – she kicked and punched and hit him continuously with the pillow as her tears ran over her face.

"Calm down, Rukia, calm down!"

But she didn't.

"Rukia, listen to me." – Ichigo said as he stopped her – "Actually, _today_ is my birthday!"

"You were born in 16th July?"

"15th July."

"You mean today is 15th July? It can't be, no way I could mistake the day! I had checked the date regularly to make sure yesterday was 15th July!"

"But did you check the day by yourself?"

"I asked my subordinate"

"Then I have to tell you that he lied to you." – seeing her angry but confusing face, he hastily continued – "but please don't be mad at him, because I asked him to do so."

"What?"

"I know your habit that you always ask the date from another, you never go check the date yourself, especially in the important date. So I asked Yuki to help you with your duties in my birthday so that he could lie you the day. Did you know he came to work one day sooner?"

"So that is what happened. I wondered why he volunteered and attentively came to call me for working. So I was fool by both of you?" – Rukia said the last question separately in anger – "Why"?

"I know you will come to my birthday, Rukia. I have been waiting for this day and make a plan, so that you will come here one day sooner so I can have a whole day with you. The chance to meet you is rare, so I have to use it up. I wish that you can come here more recently but you only come in the certain day."

Looking at his honest eyes, she felt like it quell her anger. Her voice returned to a soft voice.

"That's because I need a particular reason to go to the Living World. Plus that I'm afraid I wil irritate you with my unexpected visit."

"Now who is the fool? How can you think that? I may be annoyed but I am more happy to see you"

He reached out her hand and slightly pulled her closer.

"Just "come to see me" is a perfect reason, Rukia."

"Baka." – she hit him affectively on his chest as he hugged her tightly. She slowly relaxed into his hold, but as if she remembered something, she suddenly got out of his embrace and looked at him straight in his eyes.

"Happy Birthday, Ichigo."

"Thank you, Rukia"

They smiled at each other. Suddenly Rukia yelled.

"Your present! I can't believe that I forgot it. I intent to buy it after I got here but your disappearance distract me!"

"You have brought here a greatest present."

"Huh? I didn't bring along anything."

"You" – Ichigo said as he kissed her cheek.

"Baka" – she said it again, a huge smile on her face.

She finally could wish him happy birthday. She never knew that the wish she made had come true, because Ichigo had had a wonderful birthday, with her by his side.

"Ichigo"

"Huh?"

"What about the disappearance?"

"Un…That…is…nothing to speak of! Ah do you want to go to the park tomorrow?"

"Hey Ichigo, answer me first! By the way I want to go there."

"Good. And how about the aquarium, or the dinner at the restaurant? I know the best place!"

"Hey Ichigo!"

"So that is OK right? Now we have to sleep first! Nah nah go to sleep, aren't you tired?"

"I-CHI-GO!"

"…"

"You will be dead meat tomorrow, Ichigo"

*Light off*


End file.
